Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the knowledge and skills required to foster and enhance cognitive development of children

Application 

The skills and knowledge within this unit applies to workers engaged in a range child care contexts supporting the children's development

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Assist children to develop thinking  and problem solving skills

1.1 Provide varied and appropriately challenging opportunities and resources related to each child's stage of development and interests

1.2 Provide opportunities for children to experience the consequences of their choices, actions and ideas

1.3 Encourage children to explore, understand and solve problems in their environment 

1.4 Use a variety of strategies to maintain children's interest in solving problems

1.5 Provide challenging and engaging experiences for each child to develop their attention span and give them time to stay with the activity until they are ready to move on

1.6 Introduce new ideas/activities that may build on existing knowledge, skills and interests

1.7 Use questioning and non-verbal communication to develop children's abilities to observe what is happening around them

1.8 Identify and monitor children's cognitive development and thinking skills

2. Promote opportunities for a wide range of developmentally appropriate experiences in science mathematics technology and the environment

2.1 Present a range of developmentally appropriate experiences in science, maths and technology

2.2 Present a range of experiences to stimulate learning about the environment

2.3 Recognise children's abilities and respond to their interests and learning potential

2.4 Encourage participation in science, maths, technology and environmental learning experiences in a way that is enjoyable

2.5 Present experiences that stimulate children's curiosity and learning

2.6 Provide opportunities for children to further explore their concept development

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

• Stages of cognitive development
• Peer group interactions
• Child's family and community context and influences
• Organisation standards, policies and procedures
• Planning processes and understanding of adults role in experiences
• Sensory perceptual development and brain development
• Theories, including but not limited to: Piaget, Vygotsky and Gardner
• Social constructivist learning theory
• Interrelationship between cognitive, creative and language development
• Importance of dispositions impacting on lifelong learning
• Awareness of the following national child health and well being core competencies as they apply to all who deliver care to children:

• core principles of child development and the key developmental tasks faced by children and their implications for practice
• cumulative effects of multiple risk and protective factors and the developmental implications of the balance between them
• environmental conditions and the experiences known to have positive effects on prenatal and early childhood
• environmental conditions and experiences known to have adverse effects on prenatal and early childhood development
• factors that support or undermine the capacity of families to rear children adequately
• features of a family's immediate social environment that are important for family functioning and children's development and well being
• features and qualities of communities that help or hinder families in their capacity to raise children adequately
• core needs that all children and families have in common, and how to provide inclusive child and family services
• understanding of particular backgrounds, experiences and needs of children and families in exceptional circumstances or with additional needs

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Encourage children in thinking and problem solving experiences with consideration for each child's culture, stage of development and interests

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

• Demonstrate application of skills in:

• planning open ended experiences to promote children's enquiry and mathematical thinking
• problem solving processes and tools or strategies to facilitate children's problem solving
• use open ended questions to encourage children to predict, hypothesise, explain, reason and express their ideas and opinions
• creative use of inexpensive resources to stimulate children's interest and curiosity
• modelling strategies, suggesting next steps and highlighting aspects the children may have overlooked
• supporting and encouraging children's unconventional and innovative use of materials
• use the environment to stimulate children's curiosity
• arrange experiences that stimulate children to explore and discuss diverse objects, people and places

• Apply the following skills identified as underpinning national child health and well being core competencies, where they are applicable to the work role:

• implement effective evidence-based service delivery
• coordinate service delivery to families with an interdisciplinary teamwork approach and where possible collaborative interagency practice
• early identification of emerging trends in child needs and how to address them
• manage children's health needs, eating behaviours and physical activity
• provide environments and relationships that are safe for young people
• engage and work with parents/carers and families

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• This unit is best assessed in the workplace or in a realistic simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions, for a range of age groups and over a number of assessment situations

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
• Resource requirements for assessment include access to a range of opportunities defined in the Range Statement, including:

• A childcare workplace
• Children's services, resources and equipment
• The local environment

Method of assessment :

• In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects in the work environment, the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on 'What if?' scenarios
• Assessment of this unit of competence will usually include observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questioning on Essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes
• Where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a 'period of time' and/or in a 'number of locations', any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons

Related units :

It is recommended (but not required) that this unit be assessed in conjunction with related unit:

• CHCFC506A Foster children's language and communication development

RANGE STATEMENT 

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Thinking skills may include :

• Reasoning
• Developing understanding and explanations
• Critical thinking
• Use of mathematical concepts
• Problem solving
• Inventing, discovering and planning

Opportunities for children to develop cognitively will vary according to the child's age /abilities and must include :

For 6 to 12 year old children :

• Children are assisted to identify the reasons for their opinion/action/feelings
• Child is asked to predict likely/possible consequences of actions and events
• Child is prompted to consider a variety of perceptions of an event
• Hypothesising and experimentation
• Opportunities to explore particular interests that emerge
• Opportunities to develop and maintain interest areas
• Challenging, open ended experiences
• Opportunities to develop problem solving skills will vary according to the age of the child

Understandings may include :

• Mathematical understanding
• Scientific principles
• Social understandings
• Geographical awareness
• Historical understanding
• Mechanical understanding
• Potential of computers

Opportunities to develop problem solving skills vary according to age of the child :

For 6 to 12 year olds :

• Opportunities to develop problem solving skills in social relationships with their peers
• Learning through 'failure'/'mistakes'
• Conflict resolution strategies are developed

Opportunities to explore their environment will vary according to age of the child :

For 6 to12 year olds :

• Local neighbourhood excursions

Opportunities to explore their local environment directly will differ according to a range of factors such as :

• Distance, proximity of new experience
• Risks and hazards
• Time available

Opportunities to extend children's knowledge of the world may include :

• Excursions/incursions
• Visits
• Maps, posters, music, books etc.
• Walks in the local area
• Visitors
• Community resources

Environment may include :

• The natural environment
• The social world
• The cultural environment
• The world of ideas
• Human made environment